


Ninety-eight percent

by pergamond



Series: North-West [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Thorne & Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-18
Updated: 2016-09-18
Packaged: 2018-08-15 17:26:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,378
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8065414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pergamond/pseuds/pergamond
Summary: [Lucius pays Harry a call.]Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes in the hope that he was secretly tired. He has been away from his desk for most of the day, first at a meeting with his replacement as head of the Auror office, and then as part of a friendly (Ministry-style) chat with the proprietor of Borgin and Burkes. The chat had been too friendly, leaving Harry energised for action in a place as threatening as a buttered crumpet. It was now 4 pm and unless Harry found a very good excuse very quickly, he would be forced to tackle his paperwork.





	

**Author's Note:**

> [Short sequel to '[North, North-west](http://archiveofourown.org/works/8041546)']

Harry took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes in the hope that he was secretly tired. He has been away from his desk for most of the day, first at a meeting with his replacement as head of the Auror office, and then as part of a friendly (Ministry-style) chat with the proprietor of Borgin and Burkes. The chat had been too friendly, leaving Harry energised for action in a place as threatening as a buttered crumpet. It was now 4 pm and unless Harry found a very good excuse very quickly, he would be forced to tackle his paperwork.

4:15 pm found Harry surrounded by three piles of neatly stacked parchment. He had organised the information first by the type of reported disturbance (wizard, magical creature, unknown, muggle-interference), then by geographic location and finally by shade of parchment. Admittedly, this last permutation was not obviously useful, but it made the most aesthetic display from the overflow of information.

As he debated whether Hermione would see through an accidental _inferno_ charm, a memo flapped through his open door. Harry’s heart rose optimistically at the prospect of being called urgently from the Ministry. He reached up and plucked the violet paper from the air, smoothing out its crinkled surface as the levitating charm faded from the sheet.

> _Subject : Visitor _  
>  _A visitor without security clearance for the upper levels within the Ministry of Magic is here to see Mr Potter._  
>  _Individual: Lucius Malfoy_

Harry started at the memo for a long moment, before scrunching it into a ball and flicking it into the trash can. He reached across his desk for a fresh sheet of purple paper, scrawled a line of reply and tapped it with his wand. The memo folded itself into a neat paper aeroplane and sailed from the office.

Harry would see Malfoy when he was available. It was unfortunate that his paperwork as Head of Magical Law Enforcement was so pressing.

 

* * * * *

Harry met Lucius’ gaze the second he stepped into the atrium. Draco’s father had evidently refused to be seated, choosing to stand by the central golden fountain where he could maintain a clear view of the hall. Harry hoped he had been enjoying Hermione’s redesign for the _Fountain of Magical Brethren_ , where witch, goblin, centaur and elf now stood in an equal circle around the rising water.

If he had disliked the changes to the Ministry since the days when his money had bought a permanent audience with Cornelius Fudge, Lucius gave no sign of his discomfort. Harry had to admit a grudging respect for a man who could be left waiting for the best part of 40 minutes, yet command the space like he owned it.

Lucius made no move to walk towards Harry, allowing the Auror to make the journey from elevator to fountain. Harry slowed his step to an unconcerned stroll that offered the opportunity to exchange greetings with three minor officials before reaching Lucius’ position. The former member of Voldemort’s inner circle was dressed in his customary black, the sober shade not concealing the costliness of the fabric and cut. His fair hair still swept to his shoulders, although it was thinner than it had been when Harry attended Hogwarts. Harry was disappointed to note that nobody had insisted Lucius wear the plastic name badge that doubtless would have been issued to him as a visitor to the Ministry.

“Lucius,” he acknowledged the other wizard, composing his face into an expression of neutral politeness. There was no point in apologising for the wait. They both knew it had been entirely intentional.

“Harry Potter,” Lucius said in a tone of even coolness. “I will not take up much of your precious time.”

Harry smiled thinly at the concealed barb.

Lucius reached into his robes and produced a length of emerald green silk. Holding it on the palm of his left hand, he unfolded it with the other. His long pale fingers turned even this simple process into an art display. Harry forced himself to look no more than mildly interested.

On the open square of cloth lay an 8 inch blackthorn wand. Harry’s eyes moved from the wood to Lucius’ face.

“You know whose this is,” Lucius stated.

Harry knew. He had last seen that wand discarded on the flagstones of Malfoy Manor. Draco had disarmed its owner and thrown him from his house as the wizard in question had attempted to curse Harry. It was the wand belonging to Gregory Goyle.

In the days since Goyle had been cast from Malfoy Manor, Harry’s department had searched the country for news of his whereabouts. Goyle had proclaimed to be part of a new rising of dark wizards, but so far there was little evidence of their activity. Harry privately felt that if they were all as stupid as Goyle, there was little to worry about. However, there was evidence that the group had access to a collection of powerfully cursed objects. It would be better if they were located and for that, the history Goyle’s wand held would be undoubtedly helpful.

“What do you want, Lucius?” asked Harry.

The white blond of Lucius’ eyebrows raised in mock surprise. “For the Ministry to do its job and track down the wizard who owns it. I do believe your department is supposed to guard against the practice of dark magic?”

Harry did not rise to the bate. He continued to steadily meet Lucius’ gaze, making no attempt to reach for the wand. A long silence held which Harry realised he must break or risk being there all night.

“I really am going to stand here until you offer me a better explanation,” he told Lucius flatly. “You do not do anything unless it benefits your family. How does handing me this wand aid you?”

A flicker of irritation passed across Lucius’ pointed features. “Does it not occur to you, Potter, that our aims in this instance might be aligned?”

The answer to that was a flat out negative. While the Ministry did not exhaust its resources watching the former Death Eater, Harry was in no doubt that the only reason Lucius was no threat was because he had always known which side his bread was buttered. Playing the good citizen was a worthwhile endeavour only when it increased the standing and influence of the Malfoy family. Harry intended no gesture from Lucius to do either.

Lucius closed his eyes momentarily as if collecting his patience. When he looked at Harry again, he spoke with deliberate slowness. “The owner of this wand threatened the safety of my family. I will not tolerate it.”

Harry recalled Goyle demanding sanctuary at Malfoy Manor, attempting to draw on his relationship with Draco to secure a new base for an uprising. Not only had Goyle carelessly announced this before the Chief of Magical Law Enforcement, but the proposed headquarters also housed the teenage last heir to the Malfoy name. Harry admittedly had placed a watch on the estate in case Goyle remained nearby. Lucius’ motivation was therefore a quick solution to a situation that hung over his family. It was almost noble.

Harry nodded his understanding and held out his hand. Lucius flipped the cloth over the wand once more and passed both to Harry before turning in a sweep of black fabric. With no further words exchanged with the ministry member, Lucius Malfoy strode to the fireplaces and vanished.

Hermione appeared from where she had apparently been standing out of sight behind the fountain. She looked down at the silk wrapped wand in Harry’s hand. “That appeared civil?” she inquired.

Harry gave a half-smile. “You know me and Lucius. We’re always civil.” His gaze flicked her way in a knowing look. “When masks aren’t involved.” He unwrapped the green silk to show Hermione the wand. “The man’s 97% arsehole, but in someways he’d be more predictable if he made that a round 100%.”

“It’s that 3% that’s kept him out of Azkaban,” Hermione pointed out. She stared down at the wand with a slight frown, seemingly considering the path that brought it from Goyle to Lucius and to Harry. “Harry, what did happen between you and Draco that night at Malfoy Manor?”

Make that 98% arsehole.


End file.
